


Sparks

by malurette



Series: malu tries to write in english [6]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Drabble Collection, Dysfunctional Family, Fire Nation Royal Family, Firebending & Firebenders, Gen, esl writer, old shame, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2019-10-22 09:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17660258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malurette/pseuds/malurette
Summary: a series of drabbles and short ficlets I wrote when I first watchedAtLAin 2010-11oh boy was my writing clunky back then and I don't think any amount of betaing could ever fix it;1st two bits: Zuko and Iroh, Abandonment and adoption. 3rd: Azula and Ursa, Topknot. 4th: Azula, Sour grapes.5th: Iroh & Ozai; Brothers. 6th: Azulon, Ozai, Azula; Discipline. 7th: Azulon & Ursa; Terms and conditions.8th: Azula & Iroh; Useless.9th: little Azula, Sour grapes.10th: Azula & Zuko, Complexes.





	1. Zuko, Iroh, Lu Ten - Would you rather..?

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Si l'on brûlait tous les obstacles](https://archiveofourown.org/works/724159) by [malurette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/malurette/pseuds/malurette). 
  * A translation of [Parfaite](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14978285) by [malurette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/malurette/pseuds/malurette). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trading one life for another?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Would you rather...  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** Zuko, Iroh; mentions Lu Ten  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
>  **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot any mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Word count:** 200

'Uncle, do you wish Lu Ten were still alive?' Zuko asks one day.  
(...Now that's a stupid question; of course you do. But...)

'Do you sometimes wish I would have died instead of him?'  
'Zuko, what is this... No! I would never trade my nephew for...'  
'But back then, you loved your son more. Didn't you?'  
'I... guess so. I can't lie; I loved my son more than anything. But that is no reason. I would have gladly laid down my own life for my son's, but not anyone else's.'  
'Even enemy lifes?'  
'Even so; that I was taught during my spirit journey. Kill in battle to protect him while it was still time, yes, and without remorse; trade any unknown soldier's life to get him back, no, impossible.'

(I know for I have tried to bargain, only to be told it was impossible, and feel horribly guilty afterward anyway. Who am I to rob anyone of their life, not to mention the pain of losing someone to their loved ones, now that I know it so well myself?)  
'Lu Ten wouldn't have approved of sacrificing others.'

'In that, you're very much alike, my dear nephew. Please, never tell such things again.'


	2. Zuko, Iroh, Ozai - Given Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pain of losing a firstborn son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Given away  
>  **Author:** ylg >/malurette>  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** Zuko & Iroh  
>  **Rating:** G  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.
> 
> **Prompt:** so, Ozai would have been forced to give up his firstborn son to make up with Iroh’s loss; what if Azula was lying about this meaning _killing_ Zuko? (this idea was not mine to begin with, but I like it)  
>  **Timeline:** let's say they're discussing the matter post-series  
>  **Word count:** 160

"What if I was given to you in adoption by Azulon to make up with your son’s loss and my father’s willingness to forsake me?"   
Strange question maybe, but Iroh looks quite certain of its outcome: "It could have turned quite good for you."  
Zuko, so long unloved by his father, is still unsure:  
"But if it was forced upon you? I loved my father and I’d have hated to be separated from him. Even though I loved you too. I don’t want to think I’d hate being raised by you as a child, but... And, had you been forced to care for the brat I was whilst you were still mourning Lu Ten... would you have hated it, hated me?"  
"Nephew, I could never hate you. Whatever happened, _never_. Besides. I sort of raised you anyway, didn’t I? Even without an official adoption."   
"So you did, Uncle. And I’m very grateful for this, now I can see it."  
"Good."


	3. Azula & Ursa - Topknot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You always had such beautiful hair."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Topknot  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** child!Azula, Ursa  
>  **Rating:** G  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
>  **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader yet – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.
> 
>  **Prompt:** Azula’s hair  
>  **Word count:** 300

'Azula, dear, what have you been doing? Your hair is falling all over the place.'  
'I just played. With Zuzu and our friends.'  
'Played! What kind of games were you playing to mess so much with your attire?'

True, they were playing hard. But that Mother would ask,  
'Games unsuitable for a young lady?', now that's something _Mai's mother_ would say. 

'But Mom, I'm not a lady... yet.'  
'You will be one day.'

Azula may not want to become a lady if it means be a stifled grown-up, but she won't head into this argument now. Which her mother finds relieving. Instead, she weasels around, pleading;

'Mom, I want to play with Zuko, not stay alone in my room all day dressed up as a doll.'  
Azula doesn't even like dressing up her dolls! Yet Zuko himself sits still and plays calmly by himself, as a well-behaved mama's boy, but _he_ doesn't have to wear silly hair buns and frilly ribbons.

'Please, Mom? It's not my fault it wasn't properly tied, anyway.'

Ursa gives up. Her daughter is a little person who already knows what she wants, and what kind of mother would she be if she prevented her to play with her brother? 

'Alright, poppet. You get a tighter topknot that won't get loose when you'll play with your friends.'  
'Can't I have a queue like Zuzu?'  
'Oh no young lady; phoenix' tails are for boys, ponytails are for commoners, and even if I'd let you sport one, your hair would catch and get all tangled when you play. You wouldn't like that now would you?'

True... she wouldn’t like having to work out so many knots in her hair. It’s already troublesome enough as it is. But at least Azula gets what she wants.

'So, a topknot it is.'  



	4. Azula vs Lu Ten - Sour Grapes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Envy is such an ugly thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** sour grapes  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** child!Azula, Lu Ten, Zuko  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Word count:** 100

Azula hated Lu Ten, based on a disappointment: he didn't like her more than he liked Zuko. She could beguile him, make him play with her; he would say she was cute... but he never invited her unasked to play with him – whilst he would often invite Zuko, at times the both of them – never just her, only her. She was so jealous! Stupid, stupid boys...  
Anyhow. Maybe he was handsome and strong and wise and all as people said, but he wasn't as handsome or strong or wise or anything as Father was. So there. It was _his_ loss!


	5. Iroh & Ozai - Little Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gap between them was too deep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Oh brother  
>  **Author:** ylg >/=malurette>  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** Azulon, young!Iroh, baby!Ozai  
>  **Rating:** G / K  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Prompt:** baby brother  
>  **Word count:** 200+

Meet Iroh, in his early twenties, Crown Prince, making a man of himself, getting used to the military ways, supposedly like any other nobleman's son making his life an army life.

He comes back one day to the family palace only for his lord father to proudly present him with: ‘Your little brother.’

When his brothers in arms are actually talking about getting married and start a family of their own...

He even has, ludicrously, to sit for the court painter, holding the babe in his arms.

If they knew, his comrades would smirk; soon, they'll be the ones showing around similar paintings, only not with younger siblings but their very own children!

Father must think alike and asks,  
‘What about you, son; when are you getting married, are you planning to sire heirs for your father's line soon? …Not that you need to do so just right now, of course. You're still young.’

‘I couldn't tell, father. Only Agni knows?’

No, Iroh doesn’t think much about marriage and a new family. He already has a family to think of; his mother is so very tired, and still surprised by the birth: she thought she was getting too old, that she would not meet again with her fiery's husband needs.

With this new baby prince only one thing is certain: his future life must be full of surprises.


	6. Azulon, Ozai, Azula - Behave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discipline is crucial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Behave  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** Azulon, Ozai, Azula  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me. Also, if you think the characterization is fudgy, I'd be glad to hear you.  
>  **Word count:** ~300

'Ozai, your daughter is an unruly, insolent child.'  
It is not often that the Firelord deigns to speak to his second son about seemingly trivial matters. When he does, Ozai listens and tries not to contrary him. 

'She may be, Father; but she’s also a prodigy and for that, I’m afraid we tend to spoil her.'  
'And pass her every whim.'  
Ozai must agree with his Lord father, but somehow stands the accusations. He needs to present justifications.

'Her mother is very fond of her and doesn’t like scolding her. Azula herself doesn’t take scoldings well; she has inherited your temper.'  
' _I_ wasn’t so unruly; my father wouldn’t allow it. I know I certainly didn’t raise you in such a way either.'  
'No, Father,   
( _you didn’t raise me at all; you spoiled Iroh and let me be._ ' But how Azulon had Iroh raised, Ozai doesn’t know; he wasn’t there to see it. He just assumes.)

'Of course, you should fuel her power. But do remind her she needs control, and precision – perfection. In order to be obeyed later, she needs to be obedient now.'  
'Yes, Father.'  
'When she’s better behaved, you can be proud of her.'  
'We will.'

So the Firelord acknowledges Azula’s potential but denies her real genius. Of Zuko, he doesn't speak, and Ozai understand in this silence what disappointment he has caused.  
The berating takes away whatever pride Ozai should feel with Azulon praising any of Azula's merits.

Though neither man raised his voice, the exchange was quite unpleasant: now a grown man and a father himself, Ozai is too old to get scolded by his father! And because of his own children? He will pass the scolding along and the both of them’ll get it, not just to Azula.


	7. Azulon & Ursa - Vicous, traitorous things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say Ursa did vicious, treasonous things, and was banished for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** The Firelord's latest heir  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters/Pairing:** Azulon, Ursa; mentions of Ozai/Ursa  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's notes:** I dare say I'm rather proud of this plot – the grammar & story-telling to carry it out, however, certainly not so much.  
>  **Prompt:** "vicious, treasonous things"  
>  **Warnings:** choose not to warn as it would spoil the thing; sorry.  
>  **Word count:** 303

'Do not harm my son.'  
It’s not a plea, it sounds like an order. Improper as it is the Firelord doesn't comment on it: Princess Ursa obviously knows it. Angered yet surprised, he want to hear what prompts the Lady to come and try and bargain in his private apartments alone and late at night.

So, _harm her_ son _?_  
'Your husband hurt mine.'

The Firelord’s voice is cold.  
Ursa doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t lower her eyes. She stays defiantly proud.

'Interesting. My son sure found himself a good and strong woman. But for you to come to me not as a wife but as a mother?'

Azulon smirks;   
'How moving.'

He doesn’t look like he’s moved in any way; yet, he calmly collects paper, ink, brush, and personal seal, and begins writing.  
Ursa stand very still through all of it. Even when he’s finished, seals the order and puts away the rest, she dares not hope and waits for him to address her again.

'So, disrobe.'  
'I beg your pardon?'

At least, Ursa’s determined façade cracks.

'You heard me well. Thought you could outsmart me? I changed my will in favour of my youngest son, no name specified. You define yourself as a mother. So, let’s make this youngest son now.'

His stern face and rigid posture say he's not to take physical pleasure in this act. As for sadistic mental satisfaction, though...

'I can promise you I won’t rob Ozai of his first-born son if you insist so; it doesn’t mean I won’t cheat him of another. What do you say of that?'

Nothing. Ursa keeps silent, composing her features. Writing her inner deliberation as hesitation, Azulon taunts,  
'Or, you could bail out and I would burn down that will. Return to square one.'

Without a word, Ursa reaches for her belt.


	8. Azula vs Iroh - Redundant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you need more than one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** Redundancy  
>  **Author:** ylg  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** Iroh, young!Azula  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot any mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Prompt:** uncle & niece  
>  **Word count:** ~200

Young princess Azula doesn’t like her uncle very much, as it seems. Why so? must Iroh wonder.

‘You look like a grandfather, and I already have a grandfather.’; such is her answer.  
‘As a matter of fact, young lady, you have two grandfathers. But you only have one uncle.’  
‘Who cares?’  
‘Well, I do. I only have one little niece, too.’

Azula scowls, unconvinced this is a good enough reason.

‘So if one is so good, why does Grandfather have two grandsons and a granddaughter anyway? Isn’t there something unnecessary here?’  
‘Young lady, someday you’ll learn that everyone is different and you can love many persons. You can be happy with several different items that seem to fit the same description, but when you look more closely you realize they’re not the same, and you get even happier.’  
‘Say, ‘that mean you’ll give me another dollie next time that’ll be different from the previous one?’  
‘If you wish to, little one.’

With a little smile, Azula carefully nods, as if mentally scoring points, before turning heels and running away to her own business, leaving old uncle Iroh alone to ponder on her demeanour.


	9. Azula - Not fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playing favourites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** notfairnotfairnotfair  
>  **Author:** ylg  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters:** child!Azula vs her family  
>  **Rating:** PG/PG-13  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Other Warnings:** hello crazy!Azula, how are you?  
>  **Word count:** 100

It isn’t fair, Azula thinks, that Mother loves Zuko so much, when Father knows he’s not worth it: so why can't she see that too? And it's not fair either that she gets scolded so often by Mother while Zuko can never do anything wrong to cross her. And it's still not fair that she has to work so hard to prove Father how much better she is than Zuko, that even if Zuzu turns out to be a failure _she_ ’s not!  
No, it's not fair. Can’t they see?  
So. If parents can't play things fair... then why must she?


	10. Azula & Zuko - In the family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many young children entertain the idea they can marry their parent when they grow up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Title:** All in the family  
>  **Author:** ylg >/malurette>  
>  **Fandom:** Avatar: The Last Air-bender  
>  **Characters/Pairing:** Zuko & Azula (as children), childish Azula -> Ozai and hints at Zuko -> Ursa  
>  **Rating:** PG/PG-13  
>  **Disclaimer:** Bryke's, not mine
> 
> **Author's note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot mistakes please do correct me.  
>  **Prompt:** ~~firecest~~ oedipal complex  
>  **Word count:** 100

‘I’ll marry Father when I grow up.’  
‘No you can’t, ‘Zula. Father’s already married to Mother.’

A tad bit patronizing, Zuko explains to his dear baby sister who doesn’t know better yet;  
‘Trust me; I already asked when I was little’ – not so long ago, a bit more than a year, not even two – ‘and... well. But you’ll find someone else.’  
‘But I don’t wanna. No one else.’

Little Azula clings to her idea:  
‘I know: Zuko marries Mother, and I can marry Father. So everyone is happy. Silly Zuzu, why ‘you give up so easily? There’s always a solution!’


End file.
